Offering downloadable 3D CAD files for product designers is a smart business move, but it's not necessarily easy.

Manufacturing

3D publishing is the term Cadalyst uses broadly to cover methods of repurposing a 3D model for downstream uses. Basically, once you've created a model, what can you do with it? Daratech coined the acronym MVP to refer to digital mock-up, visualization and 3D publishing, but that makes me think baseball, not modeling -- and besides, the CAD world has TMA (too many acronyms) already.p>

One fast-growing but fairly low-profile aspect of 3D publishing is online parts catalogs that include 3D CAD model downloads for manufactured goods. A number of developers offer technology for parts makers to use in creating and maintaining such catalogs. These digital catalogs save design engineers time: Rather than redrawing individual components, you can just download them right into your CAD model. The manufacturers' products are thus locked and loaded into the design, and buyers can order them later. Read more >>

About the Author: Sara Ferris

Autodesk Technical Evangelist Lynn Allen guides you through a different AutoCAD feature in every edition of her popular "Circles and Lines" tutorial series. For even more AutoCAD how-to, check out Lynn's quick tips in the Cadalyst Video Gallery. Subscribe to Cadalyst's free Tips & Tools Weekly e-newsletter and we'll notify you every time a new video tip is published. All exclusively from Cadalyst!Follow Lynn on Twitter

Poll

How many hours per week do you spend creating renderings and animations? (Not counting unattended processing time.)